Marie Lukasik Wallace ~ # I LIVE Poetry – I'm passionate about life and writing and all things creative and poetic!

Category Archives: Fantastic Friday-gratitude

Many of you know that I am writing my daddy’s story, a Junkman’s Journey. And you know he is a vaulted man with Alzheimer’s and that the journey has not been an easy one, but we have found a beautiful road together and we have been finding the gold in each other.

Yesterday, he had a stroke, and he will be in the hospital a few days at least…maybe longer. What is difficult is that the left side of his body is not responding well, and his speech is slurred. But he’s hanging in there. I have been beyond blessed having the time I have had with him. The hard part is “Will I get to know more about him? Will he still have his memories?” I cherish any and all time I have…so I hope you know I’m not complaining. It’s just not easy when you finally get a peek in the vault and there’s a possibility that it will close forever. The good news is that I’ve gotten a chance to see the treasure, and I’ve gotten to have a chance to have more of a relationship that I ever hoped.

And lastly, the good news is that I had just sent him a couple of my chapters of his story for him to read. He said that it made him cry and that I described things in a way that made it seem I was there. It brought him back to the exact moment and all that he felt scared and happy and all were present when he read it. That feels good to know you have honored someone in a way that they deserve to be honored, especially when you are telling their story.

And for the first time, he said, “I’m proud of you.” No matter what, I have been so blessed to have these tiny moments of time with him that I never would have had, had I not asked those first questions.

Love on your people…all those precious people in your life…and ask them lots of questions!